Steam-engine.



Patented Juno 4. |90|. T. W. GODWIN.

STEAM ENGINE.

Application filed Mn. 22, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

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Patented lune 4, I90l. T. W. GODWIN.

STEAM ENGINE.

Application filed Mar. 22, 1901.)

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(a vnmuumo, msumcron n c UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

TIIOMAS \V. GODWIN, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO CORNELIUS S. CLARK, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 675,855, dated June 4, 1901.

Application filed March 22, 1901. Serial No. 52,378. (No model.)

To (all 1071/0112 it Hwy concern:

3e it known that I, THOMAS W. GoDwLv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to steam-engines,and more especially to a valve mechanism there- IO for, and while the latter is not limited in its application to any particular style of engine I have found it in practice of peculiar advantage in conjunction with an oscillatory steamengine, it involving a hand-operable valve [5 which maybe so turned as to effect reversals of the engine and also to stop the same, and the improved valve mechanism is capable of manufacture at a low cost. It is quick and easy acting and thoroughly simple.

:0 The invention possesses other advantageous features, which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description, and the novelty thereof will form the basis of the accompanying claims.

The invention is illustrated in one simple and convenient embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, wherein-- Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an 0 engine involving my improvements, the engine including two oscillatory cylinders. Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the left half of said engine. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the major portion of the same with one of the cylinders removed. Fig. 4 is an underside sectional view of one of the cylinders, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the supply-controlling valve.

Like characters refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

As previously indicated, the invention consists, primarily, of a valve mechanism, and I do not wish to limit the same in combination with any specific kind of engine, though practical results have been attained with an oscillatory engine of the type represented, and I will now describe the different parts.

The engine illustrated is of the duplex type, it involving two cylinders, as A and A, sup- 5 ported by a framework shown consisting of duplicate end members or blocks 2, united by the bed-plate The end members 2 of the framinghave concave seats, as 4, while similar seats (not seen) are formed at proper points in the bed-plate 3 to receive for rocking motion oppositely-disposed trunnions, as

5 and 6, on the cylinders A and A. As each cylinder and its connections are the same, I will describe at length only one of them, corresponding parts in the other where seen being designated by similar reference characters. The trunnions of the cylinder A therefore oscillate upon the framework, and said cylinder contains a reciprocating piston, as 7, circumferentially packed, as usual, and connected with the depending rod 8, passing through the ordinary stuffing-boxes on the heads of the cylinder. The rod 8 is connected at its lower end to the crank-pin on the crank-wheel 10, fixed to the crank-shaft 11, carried for rotation by suitable bearings or brackets on the framework.

The employment of two engines prevents the stoppage of the shaft 11 at a deadcenter, it being understood that the rods 8 are each connected with the crank-shaft 11 fortyfive degrees apart.

The steam to drive the piston 7 up and down is alternately conducted into the cylinder by ports, as 12 and 13, (see Fig. 1,) in the left-hand trunnion 5, which register with channels 14 and 15 in the cylinder A, the outlets of which latter are located in proximity to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder. \Vith the piston 7 up, as shown in Fig. 2, steam entering the port 12 from the valve chamber, hereinafter described, will pass from thence into the channel 14: to force the piston 7 down, and as the latter descends the exhaust-steam is expelled, thereby enter- 9o ing the channel 15 and port or passage 13, from whence it escapes to atmosphere, as will hereinafter appear, and on the ascent of the piston the attendant exhaust will be exactly reversed, due to live steam entering the port 13 and channel 15.

The end block 2 of the framework is in the nature of a valve-chest,for it is chambered to receive a valve, as 13, adapted to be actuated by hand, and when moved in the proper di- Ioo rections serving to control the flow of the live and exhaust steam, respectively, and

consequently the direction of movement of the crank-shaft 11 through the intermediate parts, whereby the rotation of the latter can be changed, and the valve also serves to cut off the supply of steam to the cylinder, so that the engine can be thereby stopped.

The valve B is of the plug kind, and it is shown as being on a slight taper for the usual purpose, it fitting in a bore or seat 16 in the block or chest 2. The valve is represented as having two comparatively deep recesses, as 17, formed diametrically oppositely in the circumferential face thereof, the width of these recesses being substantially the same as the entering ends of the ports 12 and 13 and also of intermediate ports hereinafter described. The Valve therefore presents, in effect, two enlarged heads united by a relatively narrow neck 17, and the latter serves as the effective portion of the valve, for it diverts the steam and also cuts it off.

The valve-chamber 16 is surrounded by a circuitous or tortuous channel 18, the adjacent ends of which open into the concavity or seat ti of the trunnion 5, and these open ends are in proximity to each other, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. A port, as 19, leads from the valve-chamber16,and its upperend opens into the concavity 4, substantially midway between the open ends of the channel 18, and the width of the recesses 17 is substantially equal to that of the port 19 and the open ends of the channel 18 for a purpose that will be hereinafter evident. A second port, as 20, leads from the valve'ehamber into the circuitous channel 18.

It will be understood that the cylinder A, as the piston 7 therein is reciprocated, is rocked,as is customary in this class of engines, the trunnious 5 and 6 also rocking in their concaved seats, so as to bring the ports 12 and 13 into registration at proper points in the operation of the engine with the open ends of the channel 18 and also with the port 19 between the same, so as to properly control the supply of steam to and its exhaust from the cylinder A.

Live or supply steam is brought into the end piece or valve-chest 2 by a pipe, as 21, tapped into a bore, as 22, communicating by a port, as 23, with the valve-chamber 16, a similar here, as 24, being located at the opposite side of the valve-chainber and communi'cating with the same by a port, as 25. A pipe, as 26, is tapped into the bore 2t and serves to carry off the exhaust-steam and discharge it into the atmosphere at a convenient point. Although not so shown,the pipe 21, with a similar one (not shown) at the opposite side of the engine, receives its steam from any suitable source of supply.

At this point I desire to state that the engine may be operated by other kinds of energy than steam, and hence in this respect I do not wish to limit the invention.

With the ports in the positions shown in Fig. 1 live steam being admitted into the bore 22 through the pipe 21 will enter the port 23 and from thence will flow into the valve-chamber 16 and by the working portion 17' of the valve, shown as occupying an angular position, will be deflected upward, said valve preventing the steam from reaching the port 20 or the exhaust-port 25. The live steam will therefore pass through the ports 19 and 12 and entering the channel 11 will strike the piston 7, then at the upper end of its stroke, and force the same down and rocking the cylinder A, and hence its trunnious 5 and 6. The piston as it descends will expel the eX- haust-steam below the same, which passes successively through channel 15, port 13, and circuitous channel 18, flowing around the righthandend of the sameintotheport20 and from thence into left side of valve-chamber to port 25, bore 21, and outlet-pipe 26 to atmosphere. As the trunnion 4 rocks on the descent of the piston 7 the port 12 is carried into registration with the open end of the channel 18 at the left and the port 13 is alined with the port 19, the operation being concluded when the piston reaches the limit of its descent. Live steam, therefore, to elevate the piston will pass from the right upper division of the valve-chamber and entering the port 125 through the port 19 will pass from thence into the channel 15 to elevate the piston, the exhaust-steam being discharged by the piston into the channel 11, port 12, left side of tortuous passage 18, port 20, lower left side of valve-chamber 16, port 25, bore 21, and pipe 26 to atmosphere, and these operations will alternate so long as the valve B occupies the position shown. The stem of the valve carries a handle 30, by which it may be readily manipulated. \Vith the ports in the positions indicated in Fig. 1 and when the valve is operated to carry the neck 17' thereof to a position exactly at right angles to that represented the course of the live steam will be changed, whereby such steam will first pass from the valve -ehamber 16 through the port 20 and passage 18 instead of entering the port 19, as previously indicated, so that I am enabled thereby to secure a reversal of movement of the piston 7, and hence of the other ports controlled thereby. \Vhen the valve B is operated so as to carry the neck or effective portion 17 thereof to a perpendicular position, it serves to close both ports 19 and 20, so that live steam can pass through neither, the result being a stoppage of the engine.

In practice the valves 1 will be connected for movement in unison, provided two cylinders are employed.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. An engine including a chest having a valve-chamber, ports leading from said chamher, and a passage surrounding the valvechamber into which one of said ports leads, the ends of said passage being open and said open ends being located at opposite sides of the other port.

2. An engine including a chest having a valve-chamber, portsleading from said chamber, a passage surrounding the valve-chamber into which one of said ports leads, and said passage having open ends located at opposite sides of the other port, bores, and ports connecting said bores with the valve chamber.

3. An engine including a chest having a valve-chamber, ports leading from said chamber, and a passage surrounding the valvechainber into which one of said ports leads, the ends of said passage being open and'said open ends being located at opposite sides of the other port, and a plug-valve in said chain: her having diametrically opposite recesses.

4. An engine including a chest having a valvechamber, ports leading from said chamber, and a passage surrounding the valvechamber into which one of said ports leads, the ends of said passage being open and said open ends being located at opposite sides of the other port, and a valve operable to change the course of steam through the ports leading from said chamber.

5. An engine including a chest having a valve-chamber, portsleading from said chamber, and a passage surrounding the valvechamber into which one of said ports leads, the ends of said passage being open and said open ends being located at opposite sides of the other port, a valve substantially as described in said chamber and a cylinder having a piston, communicating with the valvechamber.

6. An engine including a chest having a valve'chamber, portslcading from said chamber, and a passage surrounding the valvechaniber into which one of said ports leads, the ends of said passage being open and said open ends being located at opposite sides of the other port, a valve in said chamber, and a cylinder having trunnions one of which has ports adapted to register with the open ends of said passage.

7. An engine including a chest having a concavity, a chamber for a valve, a passage surrounding the chamber having open ends opening into said concavity, and ports lead ing from the said chamber one port leading into said passage and the discharge end of the other port opening into said concavity between the open ends of said passage.

8. An engine including a chest having a concavity, a chamber for a valve, a passage surrounding the chamber having open ends opening into said concavity, and ports leading from the said chamber one port leading into said passage and the discharge end of l the other port opening into said concavity between the open ends of said passage, a valve substantially as described in said chamber, and a cylinder having a ported trunnion in said concavity.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS \V. GOD\VIN.

Witnesses:

EDWIN M. Twisr, JOHN '1. Cox. 

